82,0 Drills and chipping

Today is our first "garage bjj"-session to practise some basic techniques. We are not in an actual garage. We are meeting at municipals judo dojo. We will do some slow roll to warm up and then some z-guard that Davis taught at his seminar. Goal is to drill techniques. Not so much build stamina or muscle. (After 45 minutes of technical drills my biceps are tired - so it was not just rolling - to much muscle and not enough technique.)

Second training session is for golf - I'll do some chipping to get a good contact to the ball. Yesterday I was cutting my shots - not much square contacts - sliced it.

83,4 - golf and BJJ

It's a sunny Sunday. At the moment only +5 C but it will be warmer. Golf course is not open, but driving range is. I don't like hitting from a mat, but it's all we got at the moment - and for some week. I'll hit just 50 - 70 meters with a pitcher to get a good tempo.

We might have the last time half guard from the bottom at BJJ class? I also have started a group to drill techniques that we learn in our class. I don't get enough repetition during a regular class and I just don't seem  to get to the free mats we have 3 times a week. Hope this will enhance my training - and keep it going during summer too.

We did deep half guard. Sweep and Sweep
My blog for drilling my skills is at http://xobjj.blogspot.com (In Finnish)

82,6 - gym

Here are some partner drills to be used as warm up before technical drills. Still trying to figure out how to organizes my own technical drills most efficiently. I don't want to travel extra to train and I want technical training and other training be at separate time. Today I'm going for gym at 15. It would be a nice opporturnity to do some drills, but my gym training partner does not do bjj.

One idea for drills was to go to a beach on summer time and practise there:-)

83,6 - BJJ

One advice for me was to check one or two technique from YouTube and try them during rolling to see if it works. Very good, but often a technique needs repetition. It just does not work after watching it few times. Here is one choke that I have not used.




I invited folk to do some technical drills with. I need more repetition than I get in regular class. One interesting question is how to find a perfect time for everyone :-)

Here is something we kind of practised - a roll over sweep from half guard

Walk, range and "youtube bjj"

I watched from my youtube channel the collection of techniques that we've been introduced to. It's one way to practise. It's easy to forget small details that break or make a technique. Today I'll continue watching youtube. Schedule does not make it possible to do intensive training. I'll try to get to the range, if I walk fast enough home from work.
(Today I should get my Kawa from repair shop.)

XOJJ -crossover

I found a blog that called it self OMJJ "old man jiu jitsu". It was for over 40 years old. I've called my blog XO that comes from "extra old" or "crossover".  Last senior 5 bracket in competitions is for +56 y :-). It's obvious that that an XO-BJJ player cannot keep up the same tempo and intensity as a youngster at his prime. Conclution is that I need a better technique and a different approach. I need to slow down my opponents speed and make him work harder, but at the same time relax! Easy - to say but how to do it?

83,2 range and BJJ

I had a good recovery day:-) More than 1 kg regained "muscle". Muscle grows when recovering and I gained 1 kilo from yesterday so this must be muscle.
I did go to range and there was 10 other players too - so golf season is really starting. Range will open next weekend. (Now we used our own balls.)

I will not go to BJJ, because I am tired - like yesterday. Maybe it's stress from work of spring flue. I walked home from work and that's 6 km so that will do for today's exercise. 

82,1 - recovery day and driving range

Today is one of the few recovery days I have for next two weeks. After work I'll head to a my golf clubs driving range and pitch some shots. In the evening I'll try to meet with the judo people to discuss my possibility to practise. I did not have any energy to go to the meeting with Judo people - but I did go to the driving range. So something good... and something not so good.

About 93 guard

Learning 93 guard can help others? If someone uses it in rolling at our club, it will not come as a new position at a competition for others? Maybe I can be the one who irritates others with 93 guard - and with deep half guard that every one "loves"?
Stephen Kesting send a very long newsletter and one part was about learning  BJJ from internet.

81,6 Slim again - and gym again

Had to but the extra "again" to rim. Today is a busy day: work -Kawasaki to repair shop - full body massage - granddauhter from daycare - and gym. Good news is I'm under my "fat limit" 82 kg and it's a sunny day.
Link from the image is to spider guard omoplata. We did not do it yesterday, but it has some principles that are similar than what we did.

82,4 - golf and BJJ

Yesterday I missed gym, because of working with my Kawa - it did not start after winter break. Today is a warm day. It might even break 10 C. I'll go to driving range and hit some 50 meter pitch shots. Afternoon is BJJ. Maybe I should just try to recall all the techniques that I have been taught. Success is in details and I did not remember how to do clock choke - and probably most of the other techniques have major faults too.
In Bjj class we learned a new half guard. I'll try to find some examples of it - and some spider guard attacks to this half guard:-). The guard we trained is also called 93-guard. Here is some attacks from it.

82,5 Gym and schedule for 3 weeks

Workout plan

	AM	MID	PM
Sat 21.4.	Alisa	Kawa	Gym
Sun 22.4.	Driving range		BJJ
Mon 23.4.	work	(kawa)massage	Gym
Tue 24.4.	work	range	"judo visit"
Wed 25.4.	work	range	BJJ
Thu 26.4.	work	range	Judo
Fri 27.4.	work	Jog	BJJ
Sat 28.4.	golf		Gym
Sun 29.4.			BJJ
Mon 30.4.	Range/golf		Gym
Tue 1.5.	Range/golf		Gym
Wed. 2.5.	work	Jog	BJJ
Thu 3.5.	work	range	Judo
Fri 4.5.	work		BJJ
Sat 5.5.		golf work	BJJ
Sun 6.5.			BJJ
Mon 7.5.	work	golf	Gym
Tue 8.5.	work	golf
Wed 9.5.	work	jog	BJJ
Thu 10.5.	work		Golf competition

After this I'll have some days of to recover

Returning - no training

This was my game plan for our ICT meeting:-)
Well it just did not go like I planned:-)

Got a lift from Hämeenlinna to Jyväskylä and made it to BJJ class. At the meeting I made a timetable for training for next three week. So it was not a total lose of time. (Actually it was much better than I expected.)
 

Seminar in Hämeenlinna

Angry bird get the worm.
I got two tapout with chokes yesterday. (It was light warm up - so not really tapouts - just letting me do the move.)

I'm working two days at a ICT meeting. Hotel does not have a gym and I don't want to go jogging.

82,7 BJJ - maybe unicycle

I have a short day at work and I can borrow Outi's car so I have some time to practise balance with a unicycle. I can't ride it, but that's the point in practising:-)

We have a bjj class in the evening - I have some transportation problems, but let's see how it goes.
Nice counter to a guard pass.

82,2 run and meet Judo people

It's snowing wet snow, but I am hoping it will melt away during work day. I'll run home from work. I know it's pushing it, to run two days in row, but at the moment this is my commuting - Outi has her car and I have not fixed my bike or taken my Kawa out - yet.
Running was heavy - nothing came easy. I had to push my self all the time, but did not walk...just had to be a little careful that any pedestrian did not pass me - I ran that slowly:-)
Today I'll meet with judo instructor and we will plan what are possible classes for me. Thursday and maybe Sunday morning... Transportation problems due to daughters consert. So I cannot make it to the judo meeting, and had to transfer it to next week....maybe I could use the extra week for ukemi practise?

Made some crisp bread (Näcke bröd). Puplic demand:) Children are being nice and asked for it. I am waiting for the catch ...
And it's a big day for Satu, my youngest daughter. She has her music examination to craduate from conservatory. It's a consert at a local music bar.

82,8 jogging and gym

Today I'll see if I am fit enough to do two training sessions. It should be ok, but single ones have been hard. I will run home from work - that's 6 km. At 18.00 I'll go to gym and do day B program. (And after that change tires to my car - spikes off and summer rubbers on.)
Jogging home from work about 6 km is done. I think it was easier than previously.  I also hit two perfect pitch shots after my run - 8 was not so good:-) Golf club just informed me that range is opened, but I need to use my own golf balls - It's totally looking like summer is coming - and next weekend I'll get my Kawa out...


In near future I will try Yoga - I bought the DVD and it's for not so flexible:-)
I Just have not had the mental strength to start studing the content.  

Day B workout
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press 5 x 5 Tempo 1 - 4 - 1
Cable Rear Pulldown 4x 4 - 6 reps
Cable Rear Delt Row 4 x 6 reps
Sumo deatlift upright row compination 3 x 10 - 12 reps
Barbell Step-up 3 x 8 + 8 reps
Barbell alternating Side Split 3 x 8 + 8
Single leg bridge (Barbell) 3 x 10 + 10

82,5 BJJ

T-Shirt is a home coming gift. It's from L.A's UFC shop:-)
Today most of the players are at Finnish open and one is at Abu Dhabi:-) Concrats for the bronze metal,Venla in Abu Dhabi. And Tommi for winning at Finnish Opens.
 I've been reading a book about martial arts - and reason for judo's success was judokan's did not getting insured.(so often than jiujitsukan's
1) So you get better, if you do not get insured. It will make it possible to practise. My shoulder has prevented full speed training for 3 months!
2) Practise 80% of your time the 20% techniques that you will use in competition and 20%  of your time the techniques that you want to learn or test. You need just very few compinations to be successful - but techniques have to be executed and set up very well. So what are my favorite submission techniques?
I get an americana most often - well, nothing else actually. Most successful position for americana for me is half guard - not full mount as you would think?  I catch a wrist and bring it to other hand that is hooking around neck. I take a figure four and let opponents head slip. Ameracana is ready.
I would need a triangle? Triangle should be possible from anywhere you can "lasso" with your legs an arm and a neck?
And an armbar?  - push your groins to opponents armpit/shoulder?
Maybe a choke from collar? Something to disturb opponents game - something they just have to take in consideration.
Reflections after BJJ class:
We had half guard from bottom and how to fight back an under hook. After that we rolled starting from lost under hook half guard. 6 minutes rounds and 1 minute recovery. I tryed to "roll with the punches".. like not resisting but letting my opponent roll me and waiting for an opporturnity. No kuzushi, but not so bad static pressure either. I did get one americana and one armbar. Looks like armbar is easier for me than a triagle. 
And I got a black eye, too. Only a small one.
Here are some ways to fight for underhook:

• This was not in our class
• This was mention, but we did not practise it.
• This was not in our class and it's a long one:-)

The one we practised was a frame to face or neck and a pummel to underhook, but can't find a video for it.

83,0 gym in the evening

Looks like gym in the evening is the only option? Or jogging some time during day, but it's +4 C and raining. So running is not so tempting...
Day A
Single leg split squat 4 x (6 + 6)
Barbell parallel squat 4 x 4 -6 tempo 1 - 4 - 1 and 3 -2 -1 (Alternating weekly)
Plie Squat (Dumbell against back!) 4 x 6 reps
Sled seated calf press 5 x 8 - 10 reps
Dumbbell bent-over Row 3 x 10 - 12
Barbell Curl 3 x 10 -12 reps
Shoulder routine circuit 3 rounds:

Dumbbell alternating front raise 10 reps
Dumbbell alternating lateral raise 10 reps
"Saints halo" with dumbbells 10 reps CW and 10 reps CCW
Dumbbell shoulder press 10 reps
Dumbbell Upright row 10 reps
Dumbbell rear lateral raise 10 reps

83,2 BJJ and a heavy lunch

Today we'll get a working lunch at a nice restaurant Figaro - and after that I'll go rolling:-)
Did not go rolling (bjj). Just a small problem with commuting, lazeness and not recovering well enough.

I got good new - it just might be possible that I can learn judo in near future. Looks like my search for kuzushi has taken one step forward.

Some individual exercises to burn out calories.

There is still too much snow in front of the garage to get my bike out, but tomorrow is a local motorbike exhibition. Maybe I'll go there to get a fever. (If the fever does not melt down the snow I have to shovel it my self.)

82,8 jogging season starts today

I picked up Outi from the bus station and it means that she will use her own car and that means that I will start jogging home from work - no more lazy driving a car stuff. Well, next weekend I'll take out my Kawa, but plan is to still run home from work 2 times per week.

(First jog start in 30 min.... and butt is sore from yesterday and left heel has a big blister...)
Blister or butt did not affect my running at all.

Compare techniques in competition rolling

Youtube is full of beutiful techniques and some might even work in competition rolling. None will work without lots of repetitions. Looking at competition footage at BJJ.TV techniques are very basic. So what do you need to know?
Some escapes from different positions - and ways to counter that you don't have to use your escapes.
Some setups for attacks and some compinations to finish your attacks. (Single attack might be too easy to block?) I am at a stage were I hope to recognize an attack - hopefully early enough to counter. Often I'm late and don't get what "hit" me.

83,1 BJJ class

I had a good gym session yesterday. Today I'll go to BJJ class. Still wondering about kuzushi and out smarting my opponent. Can't read them... but learning:-)
After BJJ I did some reflection - I was there only one hour. Not the full time, which is not so good. BUT brave enough to step away when condition is not good enough?
I did not do any kuzushi, but I did some good passes and escapes. AND one scrimp to counter a side mount! Scrimbing under pressure has been most difficult for me. Previous time rolling I did get a hook to counter a side pass - and today I managed to scrimp. Maybe there is some hope for me:-) 

Quite early next morning I will be waiting for a bus from airport. It arrives 5.40 am. Outi should return from L.A. and has tones of luggage. Link to her blog is on the sidebar.

82,3 gym

It should be a gym day, but I've noticed that I tend to slip when doing to gym alone. Other posibility is to go boxing. Boxing is hard for my shoulder - rotator cuff has not recovered. Best solution would be to go for a slow roll BJJ and after that maybe do some legs...

It's good to have flexibility in planning - afternoon will be babysitting and I'll hit the gym later. Yksi viime kertaisista tekniikoista:-)

82,4 recovery day

It's time to put linimet to bruises and stretch. I'll study some javaScript and granddaughter will be visiting us, but if I have time, I'll ponder over BJJ.

82,9 BJJ

It's BJJ or a birthday party of our three y old girl at neighbour. One remark at our bjj class has been coming to my mind "BJJ is the soft way". Soft way has been referred to aikido and judo, but not so often to bjj - but why not? What if I'll make an effort on trying to use opponents strength to my own penefit?  I know I'm not good enough to pull it all the time, but maybe I can "go with the flow" few times and turn it into my advantage?

Soft way is waiting to be found... maybe next time? We were training an escape from "marcello" half guard. He is the similar technique from reverse side countrol

82,4 gym dayA

Yesterday at BJJ class we did three new techniques. I did not find them on Youtube. Techniques were about freeing your angle from half guard when you are almost mounting your opponent. I know I've seen the "knee slide version" many times, but can't find one. Interesting option was to take opponents back, if he defends turning to side. Here is an add-one to discussion for this technique. It's a little same as pulling your opponent to your guard when they have a turtle posistion. Now you just pull him to back mount. http://youtu.be/R-27keZXOn4?t=59s Our move was more rolling and less power, but both work:-)

Today is a gym day - Day A

83,5 BJJ - I hope

Today looks like a perfect day for BJJ training:-) It's easter and good time to concentrate and relax before class - and eat.. "mämmi".
(I'll cook my chisp bread aca knäckebröd)

I did get to BJJ class, but "mämmi" changed to icecream. And knäcke bröd to regular bread.

83,9 GYM

My training partner has arrived back from Thailand. So it's back to normal gym session - I hope. I should do Day B. For a overall comment - working is seriously affecting my training.

It's also time to think more about golf training before season starts and bjj and strength training during golf season. Last year my strength and aerobic appilities dropped during golf season to almost "null".

83,3 babysitting

Today I'll go to BJJ class. Feels like ages since I rolled last time.

Missed it! I have a list of excuses...One excuse is that I was babysitting my granddaughter.

83,6 - I don't know

I was tiered yesterday and skipped gym. Today I have many options - Shooto, Free mat on BJJ and DVD + heavy bag at home. I am not sure what to do. I had planned to run home from work, but it snowed 30 cm last night. No running:-)

I did 40 minutes DVD "Insanity Cardio Power&Resistance" and Sauna after workout.

I also putted few times at work and swung some pitch shots after shoveling the snow from drive way.
First golf competition is in 6 weeks - and there is half meter snow on the fairway?

83,2 legs

I need to start running frequently, but not today:-) Maybe tomorrow. (Today is a gym day and I'll do "day B" program. SKIPPED)

Yes - today I'll start my golf training for coming season - I've hit some birdie ball in March. It will continue and I'll start putting practise - by taking a putter to my work place. I'll use it on lunch brakes.

83,7 I'm back and fat

Switzerland is a land of cheese and chocolade, but I stuck with beer. I did run three times a 30 minute jog which is extremely well for a meeting. Well, our meeting was two days in 4 days travelling.

Today should have been BJJ, BUT.. I have not seen my granddauhter for long time and she is visiting, so BJJ came to second place. But to punish myself for my laziness, I'll go to movies to watch The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel with my wife.